Pronunciation

/diːf/

Definitions

• Noun: 1. The inability to hear or a condition where someone cannot hear properly. “She was born deaf and communicates through sign language.”
  • Adjective: Describing someone who is deaf or unable to hear. “The deaf community often organizes events for their own.”

Phrases

• “Be deaf to” means to ignore or not understand something.
• “Deaf culture” refers to the social, artistic, and linguistic practices of people who are deaf.
• “Mute/deafening silence” implies a complete absence of sound.

Example Sentences

• Noun: “The deaf child’s parents enrolled her in a special school with teachers trained in sign language.”
• Adjective: “She was a talented deaf artist, known for her expressive paintings.”
• Adjective (attributive): “The deaf girl signed ‘thank you’ with a smile.”

Synonyms

• Hearing-impaired
• Deaf-mute
• Unhearing
• Silent
• Inaudible

Note: In modern usage, “deaf” is often preferred over “deaf-mute” to emphasize that deafness is a spectrum of hearing abilities and not necessarily associated with complete lack of speech. However, some individuals within the deaf community may still use “deaf-mute” to describe themselves if they do not use any spoken language.